The Academy Awards has featured numerous comedians such as Amy Schumer and Chris Rock as hosts over the years. Kevin Hart was once set to be the next comic to take the stage, but following his Oscar controversy, Hart believes he would only return to the event if one specific condition is met.

Kevin Hart didn’t seе himsеlf hоsting the Oscars aftеr contrоversy

Kevin Hart was initially chosen to host the 2019 Academy Awards, fulfilling a lifelong dream. However, his opportunity was taken away after past homоphobic jоkes he made on X (formerly Twitter) resurfaced. Despite claiming his comments were not meant to harm, the Academy insisted he apologize before taking the stage. Hart ultimately decided to step down from the hosting role instead.

In a social media post, Hart explained his decision: “I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year’s Oscars… because I don’t want to be a distraction on a night meant to honor incredible talent. I apologize to the LGBTQ community for my past insensitive remarks. I’m sorry for the hurt I caused, and I am evolving. My goal is to unite, not divide. Much love and appreciation to the Academy. I hope our paths cross again.”

During an appearance on The Ellen Show, Kevin Hart revisited his Oscar controversy with host Ellen DeGeneres. DeGeneres, a two-time Oscar host, encouraged Hart to reconsider his stance on hosting the ceremony. Hart, while open to the idea at the time, shared that the only way he could see himself on the Oscar stage would be as a winner, not as a host.

“When I go on that stage, it will be because I’ve somehow figured out a way to win the Oscar,” Hart explained. “I’ll make it to the stage, but it won’t be as a host, as that comes with too much baggage now.”

Years after the controversy, Hart seems to have stood by his decision. He has not been considered a candidate to host the Oscars in recent years, and the Central Intelligence star may be perfectly content with that, even questioning whether the Oscars are the right fit for comedians.

Kevin Hart shared his thoughts on the current state of the Oscars hosting gig, noting that one year, the Academy got it right by having a variety of personalities take on the hosting duties. He explained that this approach, where different people were responsible for various parts of the show, worked well. However, he believes the era of comics hosting the Oscars is over.

In the same conversation, Hart expressed his admiration for comedians who had successfully adapted to the Academy’s expectations. He mentioned figures like Chris Rock, Billy Crystal, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Ricky Gervais, praising their ability to navigate the challenges of the role. According to Hart, without strong industry relationships, the Oscars can feel like a cold environment for comics, adding pressure around what is considered appropriate humor.

With his remarks, it seems that Hart is even less inclined to host the Oscars now than he was in the past, given the shifting dynamics of the event.